Device for applying balancing weights to vehicle wheels in wheel balancing machines

Abstract

A device for applying balancing weights to vehicle wheels in wheel balancing machines, comprising: a detector for the position of an indicator that can slide on rectilinear guides with respect to a wheel supported rotatable on the frame of a balancing machine; removable locking elements the indicator in at least one direction of sliding activatable when a preset position of the indicator is reached and comprising at least one first and second gears, supported rotatable on the wheel machine which mesh with each other; transmission elements for transmitting motion of the indicator to the first gear; and motion elements for moving a third gear between an inactive configuration, in which it is disengaged from the first and second gears, and a locking configuration, in which the third gear is engaged with the teeth of the first and second gears to prevent their rotation.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for applying balancing weights to vehicle wheels in wheel balancing machines. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] It is known that the wheels of road vehicles often require a balancing operation, which consists in applying to the wheel rim small weights, made of lead or other material, which are suitable to compensate for the uneven distribution of the masses in the tire. [0003] To perform this operation, it is known to use balancing machines that support the wheels to be balanced so that they can rotate about an axis, the machines being provided with electronic means that are suitable to detect any relative imbalances between the two sides of said wheels. [0004] In particular, each balancing machine comprises rectilinear guiding means, which are parallel to the wheel rotation axis and on which an indicator element, provided with an end that acts as a reference and can be inserted in the rim, can slide. [0005] In a first step of the ba...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a device for applying balancing weights to vehicle wheels in wheel balancing machines that is simple, compact, sturdy, and can be used with any type of wheel balancing machine. The device includes means for detecting the position of an indicator element that can slide on rectilinear guiding means with respect to a vehicle wheel, and means for the removable locking of the indicator element in at least one direction of sliding on the guiding means. The removable locking means comprise at least one first gear and one second gear, which are supported so that they can rotate on the wheel balancing machine and mesh with each other. The device is designed to prevent rotation of the indicator element when it reaches its preset position on the guiding means."

Problems solved by technology

These known types of device are not free from drawbacks, including the fact that the means used to lock the indicator element are constructively very complicated and difficult to apply to balancing machines because of their complexity.

Moreover, conventional devices are particularly expensive and bulky and generally require substantially large components, such as for example very long belts.

Images